Makatizens Speak Out On The Joys of A Walkable City

In the Philippines, it’s quite a rarity—if not, a blessing—to work and live in a city where you can walk from your home to the office, where every destination can be reached with just a quick stroll. That’s why there’s a certain a joy if you live and work in Makati, which is fast becoming an exemplar in urban design when it comes to pedestrian-friendly streets.

With the city’s 315-meter Dela Rosa Walkway acting as a spine that connects many of its neighborhoods, not to mention its well-planned network of underpasses and sunshades, it’s a small wonder why Makatizens are singing about the comforts and the joys of a walkable city.

“I love the fact that I don’t have to wake up so early for the morning commute,” Cristalle, 28, a graphic designer who lives in Avida Towers San Lorenzo. Everyday, she hails an Uber or walks to work on the way to her advertising firm in Legaspi Village. “I can take my time to exercise in the morning and do a few household chores before heading to the office.”

Partnering with its residential sub-brands, Ayala Land, Inc.—Makati’s top-of-mind estate developer—keeps convenience a priority for people who live and work in the city. The property developer envisions a future where Makatizens live, work, and play within a dynamic city environment, as their other rapidly growing estates can attest to, such as BGC and Nuvali.

“I don’t want to work in any other city except Makati,” Tim, 42, an investment banker who works in Ayala Avenue, says. “Everything is so accessible; everything is so near to each other. I can grab lunch in Glorietta by just walking for a few minutes. It saves me a lot of time. I’m a lot less haggard than I was before.”

Makati has recently partnered with leading transportation network companies such as Grab, Uber, RRCG, and Ube Express to contribute in solving Mega Manila’s traffic problem. Every Ayala Mall now has a network of GrabTaxi booths in its mall’s entrances. The company has also set up bus terminals in strategic points around the Ayala Center, so that commuters can have a convenient, air-conditioned ride home to other parts of the city such as South Park District and Fairview, where the drop-off points are other Ayala Malls.

“I don’t have to worry too much about expensive parking fees. I just take a Grab Express or an RRCG bus to and from my house in Alabang”, says Tasha, 34, a start-up entrepreneur who hails from Vancouver. “Aside from this, there are also many parks in the city where I can jog during rush hour. The city really makes it easy for everyone.”

As of March 2019, the Dela Rosa Walkway now extends to Ayala North Exchange (one of the Make It Makati's 6 nodes that is touted as Your Gateway To the City) and to add more overpasses and sunshades throughout its neighborhoods, Makati, the City That Makes It All Happen, truly is fast becoming a dream city for walkers.

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For you, what’s the joy of a walkable city like Makati? Share with us in the comments below.